Division of Nursing - UNC Health Care

flu at his daughter’s home (eliminating that as a dischargedestination), Rebecca offered her home until he was wellenough to return home to Eagle Springs, near Pinehurst.Pat Myers, RN, treated him like a brother and sat withhim for long periods of conversation and encouragement.Agnes Royal brought her husband to meet him and a bondwas forged between the two men resulting in furthervisits. “Agnes would call me from her home to check onme,” Ken said.Paul Miller, a certified nursing assistant, also made animpression on Ken. “He was unbelievable,” Ken said. “Hewould stay there and listen as a human being who hadcompassion. He was not anxious to get on to the next patient,but did what was necessary to relieve my anxieties.”I got to know Mr. Rahal while he was here,” Paul said. “Itold him a little about myself and my family. It was alwayspleasant to go into his room and attend to him.” But hesaid he treats all patients the same. “I’m smiling prettymuch the whole time,” said Paul.In May, Ken had a follow-up appointment, which determinedthat he continues to be in remission. When Dr.John Martinie, who performed both surgeries saw him, healso brought along three other doctors, one of whom wasparticularly interested in meeting him. He told Ken that therecovery rate for the procedure Ken had is very low, withonly about 20 percent of patients surviving.Ken said that the doctor told him that of 12 such surgerieshe had done over a two-year period on patients, 11 of thepatients had died.“They said, ‘You’re probably going into the medical recordbooks.’ They were all just amazed at my fight, willingness,and determination,” Ken said. However, Ken knows thathe didn’t do it alone.“The kindness of the staff at UNC Hospitals certainlyhelped in that direction,” Ken said.The care he received left such an impression that Ken hasformed a group of businessmen who have set up a scholarshipfund at UNC Health Care, to provide a $10,000 educationalscholarship annually to a single-parent employeefurthering their education.“It will be called the FAN Scholarship,” Ken said. It’s inhonor of 4Anderson North (FAN).As far as Ken Rahal is concerned, that’s where the nursingstaff gave back his life — a life with giving qualities of itsown. n“She took charge of the situation. She gave me a hug and said, ‘I will not let you give up.’”She was true to her word. - Ken Rahal3